What fun to hear Mr. Mayer say the things he says … especially when I’m in agreement! ;-) It’s always great to have what I believe to be true put into words by someone like him! I’m not saying I’m always right, but in these cases so much of what he is saying is exactly what I believe and say to my students. NOT that I manage to accomplish these things all the time.

And what a fine oboist we get to hear, too. A brave soul, I might add! I sure wish I could tongue the way she does. Let me tell you, as you age your tongue gets slower. Truly.

“No one would dare to play it with slurs in Europe.” Sigh. Rossini is such a killer. But he goes on to say, after she tongues the darn thing, “I never heard it better!” Brava to Mary Lynch. You’ve got me beat … by a long shot!

And then the Brahms:

How funny … I use the same sort of example about repetition with more strength (“I told you to do your homework”), although I use different words. Maybe I’m not a bad teacher ….

By the way, Mary Lynch is now playing second oboe with Cleveland Orchestra.